The empire's skyline stretched before Rocky, jagged from the remnants of Lucifer's assault, smoke curling from the outskirts of the capital. The streets below were alive with chaos as citizens fled to safety, guided by soldiers doing everything in their power to contain the damage. But above the city, a storm of wings and shadows collided—the first of Carbrarra's generals, Happy the Harpy, had come to test the empire, and Rocky knew there was no time to wait.
He hovered above the city, aura flaring violently, shadows twisting into jagged afterimages that rippled across the sky. Each pulse of energy distorted the air around him, creating faint echoes of his presence in multiple directions at once. Below, Happy circled, wings cutting through the air with terrifying grace, feathers flashing like blades tipped in silver.
"You're fast," she purred, her voice carrying over the wind. "But can you keep up? Can you stop me from tearing this city apart?"
Rocky's gaze narrowed, aura coiling around him like living steel. "I'm not here to stop you alone—I'm here to protect them. And I'll buy as much time as I need."
With a sudden burst of speed, he dashed forward, afterimages scattering across the streets below. Happy responded instantly, spiraling downward in a dive, talons extended, aiming to strike him midair.
The two collided above the city, air exploding in a shockwave that shattered windows and tore loose roof tiles. Rocky's shadows lashed out, trying to intercept her talons, but Happy's agility was nearly unmatched. She twisted midair, claws snapping, feathers slicing the wind with razor precision.
Risha hovered above, shadows lashing downward to protect fleeing civilians. "Rocky! She's faster than you anticipated! Watch your flanks!"
"I know!" he shouted, his afterimages darting left and right, keeping the harpy distracted while avoiding the deadly arcs of her wings. "I can't take her head-on—not yet! I have to keep her occupied!"
Happy laughed, a sound sharp and cruel. "So serious! So noble! I like that. But let's see how long you can survive my speed!"
She dove, creating a whirlwind of razor feathers around her. Rocky blurred forward, afterimages creating multiple targets, each one slashing through the feather storm with shadow blades that disintegrated them midair. Still, Happy's movements were unpredictable, flipping and twisting faster than most could track.
Sylvia, on a nearby rooftop, directed frightened citizens to safety while holding her sword defensively. "Rocky! Don't let her get near the civilians!" she shouted. "I can't reach her from here, but I can buy a little time!"
Risha's shadows extended in a spiral, intercepting falling debris and scattering stray feathers. "You two focus on survival and distraction! Leave me to thin the storm!"
The fight became a blur of motion—Rocky darting in impossible trajectories, Happy spiraling and flipping, her talons narrowly missing him at every turn. The shockwaves from each strike shattered the streets below, sending dust and rubble flying.
Rocky's aura pulsed violently, afterimages coalescing into jagged shadows that tried to wrap around the harpy's wings, slowing her just enough to prevent her from descending into the densely populated areas. Every strike he made was calculated, every movement designed to buy precious seconds for the city's evacuation.
Happy screeched in frustration, wings flaring as she spun in midair. "You're… stronger than I expected! How… how can one mortal keep up with me?"
Rocky's eyes glowed gold, aura rippling like liquid steel. "It's not about strength alone. It's about protecting people who can't fight back. That gives me power you can't understand."
With that, he accelerated, afterimages scattering across the city in a choreographed pattern to confuse her. Happy dove to intercept, claws extended, feathers slicing through the wind, but Rocky's shadows lashed out from multiple directions at once, striking at her wings, legs, and talons. She screeched, flipping violently to avoid the onslaught, but the constant pressure forced her higher, away from the streets below.
Sylvia called out from the rooftops, her sword glowing faintly with lingering energy. "Keep her in the sky! Don't let her reach the city!"
Risha smirked, releasing a series of shadow spikes that shredded debris and intercepted stray feathers. "This is going better than expected. Just keep her distracted a little longer!"
The battle raged on for what felt like hours, though in reality it was only minutes. Each exchange of strikes and counters sent ripples of energy through the city, shaking buildings and scattering the last of the fleeing civilians. But Rocky never faltered—each pulse of his aura adapted instinctively to Happy's attacks, his shadows lashing out in real time, blocking, intercepting, and deflecting with impossible precision.
Still, the harpy was relentless. Her speed and agility began to push him to the limits. Claws sliced through shadow afterimage after shadow afterimage, forcing Rocky to expend more energy than ever before. Sweat and aura energy burned on his skin, but he couldn't stop. The empire depended on him buying time.
Finally, after a particularly vicious exchange where feathers tore through multiple rooftops, Rocky realized the truth: he couldn't defeat Happy alone. Her speed, agility, and offensive output exceeded his current limits. He had succeeded in protecting the civilians, but prolonging the battle any further risked exhausting them all.
He made a split-second decision. "Risha! Lead her away! I'll cover the retreat!"
Risha grinned, spreading her wings of shadow. "Gladly. Let's take her somewhere she can't harm innocents!"
Rocky propelled himself upward, afterimages darting in every direction to confuse Happy. Risha followed, extending her shadows to funnel the harpy toward the mountains outside the empire's borders. Happy screeched in frustration, claws snapping, feathers slicing through the air as she tried to turn back toward the city.
"No! You can't run from me!" she shouted, voice echoing.
"Not running—we're regrouping!" Rocky shouted, blur moving faster than thought. "We'll fight again, stronger, and you won't have the upper hand next time!"
With a final surge, the trio flew beyond the city, the empire safe for the moment. Fires were minimal, damage contained, and civilians could begin returning to the streets. But the battle had taken its toll—Rocky's aura flickered, exhausted yet still blazing faintly; Sylvia leaned heavily on him, bruised but alive; Risha's shadows were fraying at the edges, energy nearly spent.
High on a ridge overlooking the empire, Rocky landed, catching his breath. "Happy… she's dangerous. Faster and stronger than anything we've faced since Lucifer."
Sylvia, catching her breath, nodded. "But we did it. The city… we bought enough time for the citizens to escape."
Risha hovered nearby, wings folding, her grin sharp. "We didn't beat her, but we survived. And next time… we'll be ready."
Rocky's eyes burned with renewed determination. "This was just the first. The Demon Lord's generals are coming one by one. Happy is strong—but we're going to get stronger. We have to. And next time, we'll fight on our terms, not hers."
As the sun set behind the mountains, casting long shadows over the empire, the trio prepared to return to training. The battle against Happy the Harpy had been a fight for survival, a test of speed, skill, and strategy, and it had left them with one undeniable truth: Carbrarra's generals were formidable, and the war had only just begun.
The empire was safe… for now.
But Rocky knew, deep in his heart, that the next clash would not be so forgiving.